There are around 20 million people in Germany with high blood pressure (hypertension), making it once of the most widespread diseases in the country.¹ High blood pressure does not initially cause any symptoms but can lead to severe complications such as heart attack and stroke, heart failure and renal failure or retinal damage. Symptoms such as headache, dizziness, insomnia or nausea may also occur in the longer term. Symptoms such as shortness of breath, severe sweating or visual disturbances are also reported in people with very high blood pressure.²

With every heartbeat the heart muscle pumps blood into the blood vessels radiating from the heart (arteries). If the flow of blood through the arteries is blocked, for example due to calcification of the arteries (arteriosclerosis), the heart needs to increase the pressure it produces.

Hypertension is diagnosed by measuring blood pressure.² Systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings are taken. The optimal readings are less than 120 mmHg (systolic) and less than 80 mmHg (diastolic).²

Medical practitioners divide high blood pressure into primary and secondary hypertension. Primary hypertension may be genetically determined, but lack of exercise, stress, excessive salt intake, age, smoking etc. can also be risk factors. Secondary hypertension may be the result of organic conditions (kidney diseases) or metabolic disorders. In this case simply treating the underlying condition can have a positive effect on blood pressure.

Increased blood pressure should be monitored and treated. If a change in lifestyle such as stopping smoking, weight loss, exercise is not enough to address primary hypertension, antihypertensive drugs are used as long-term therapy.² The most commonly used drugs are ACE inhibitors, AT1 antagonists, diuretics and calcium antagonists. 

Sources:

¹ Herz-Kreislauf-Erkrankungen » Herz & Kreislauf » Fachgebiete » Internisten im Netz » (internisten-im-netz.de) (Last accessed: 18.01.2024)

² Bundesärztekammer (BÄK), Kassenärztliche Bundesvereinigung (KBV), Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Wissenschaftlichen Medizinischen Fachgesellschaften (AWMF). Nationale VersorgungsLeitlinie Hypertonie – Langfassung, Version 1.0. 2023